Foldable toy building

ABSTRACT

A toy building is formed of a pair of foldable portions joined by a removable archway spanning the distance between the front corners of the building portions when they are folded up back to back. Vertical resin hinges on each of the front corners fit in vertical slots in the archway so the archway can be slid down over the hinges or lifted up from the hinges and can join the building portions in freely pivotal motion relative to each other.

United States Patent Snyder et a1.

[ 1 June 10, 1975 3,478,464 11/1969 Appel 46/12 3,597,858 8/1971 Ogsbury46/31 x FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,5 80,1 13 7/1969 France 46/19551,760 11/1956 Italy 46/19 Primary Examiner-F. Barry Shay Attorney,Agent, or FirmCumpston, Shaw & Stephens [57] ABSTRACT A toy building isformed of a pair of foldable portions joined by a removable archwayspanning the distance between the front corners of the building portionswhen they are folded up back to back. Vertical resin hinges on each ofthe front comers fit in vertical slots in the archway so the archway canbe slid down over the hinges or lifted up from the hinges and can jointhe building portions in freely pivotal motion relative to each other.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FIG. 2

F OLDABLE TOY BUILDING This is a continuation of applic .tion Ser. No.432,436, filed Jan. II, 1974. and abandoned upon filing of thiscontinuation application.

THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT Toy buildings have been made foldable before,and various hinge and folding arrangements have been suggested. Theinvention involves recognition of several advantages in joining buildingportions with a different sort of foldable connection that allowsgreater freedom of movement, easy disconnection, and a wider variety ofplay possibilities. The invention aims at simplicity, safety,ruggedness, durability, attractiveness, and functionality all combinedwith a wider range oforientation for building portions to enhance playand learning possibilities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive foldable toy building includes apair of building portions orientable from a folded, back-tobackdisposition to opened-up disposition with the building portions set atany desired angle relative to each other. An archway removably joins toone end of each of the building portions, and the archway spans thedistance between the front corners of the building portions inback-to-back orientation. A vertically oriented resin hinge is arrangedon each of the front corners of the building portions, and the hingeshave opposed vertical grooves inward from the free ends of the hinges. Apair of vertical slots in the ends of the archway have sides that fit inthe grooves of the hinges so the archway can be slid down over thehinges and lifted up from the hinges and can allow free pivotal motionof the building portions with the archway in place on the hinges.

DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of the inventive toy building in afolded-up disposition;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the building of FIG. 1 in one of many opened-uppositions;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the inventive building from the openend as shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross sectional view on a horizontalplane ofa corner construction for the inventive building; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a corner of an archway forthe inventive building.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The inventive building is formed of a pair ofportions II and 12 that can be folded up in a back-to-back dispositionas shown in FIG. 1, or opened up to the face-to-face disposition shownin FIG. 2, or positioned anywhere between the orientations of FIGS. 1and 2. An archway I5 joins building portions 11 and 12 and is freelypivotal relative to each building portion 11 and I2 for orientingportions 11 and 12 in an infinite variety of angles and positionaldispositions. The invention lies primarily in the relationship ofarchway 15 to building portions 1] and 12 and to features involved inthe use of archway l5 and the folding closed and opening up of building10.

Building portion 12 has a carrying handle 13, and building portion 11has a bar 14 that interlocks with handle 13 when building 10 is foldedup as shown in FIG. 1 and handle I3 is raised straight up for liftingbuilding 10. Building portion 12 has projections 16 near its base forfitting into recesses 17 in building portion 11 when building 10 isfolded as shown in FIG. I. Also, building portion 12 has a latch 18 thathooks under an edge I9 of building portion 11 to latch portions 11 and12 together when folded closed. Projections 16, latch 18, and handle 13,thus cooperate with recesses 17, edge 19, and interlocking bar I4 forsecurely holding the building II) in the folded-closed position of FIG.1 for carrying.

To unfold building 10, handle 13 is lowered to unlock bar 14, buildingportion 11 is lifted slightly to release latch I8, and portions 1] and12 can then be pivoted freely relative to archway l5. Archway 15 ispreferably hingedly connected to front corners I9 and 20 of buildingportions 11 and I2 and preferably pivots freely throughout approximatelyrelative to each corner 19 and 20. This allows building portions 11 and12 to be placed in an infinite number of angular and positionalrelationships.

A hinge 25 connects archway l5 and corners l9 and 20 of buildingportions II and 12, and hinge 25 is best shown in the cross sectionalillustration of FIG. 4. Hinge 25 is preferably extruded of resinmaterial having a long flex life to form a living hinge freely pivotalaround a thin vertical region 21. The free end of hinge 25 has a beading22, and vertical grooves 23 are formed inward from beading 22. The endregions of archway 15 have a vertical slot 26 as best shown in FIG. 5,and the edges 27 of slot 26 fit in grooves 23 in hinge 25 so thatarchway 15 can be slid downward on hinges 25 and lifted upward fromhinges 25. When edges 27 are seated in grooves 23, beading 22 of thehinge is received in a recess in the archway, as shown in FIG. 4. Thebase of hinge 25 is a vertical member 28 that is J- shaped in crosssection to wrap around the end ofa wall 29 at corner 20 and be locked inplace by another wall end 30 at corner 20. Then when building portions11 and 12 are fully assembled, J-shaped bases 29 are firmly interlockedwith corners I9 and 20 to support hinges 25 in place.

Archway I5 has a channel-shaped top 31 forming a simulated walkwaycapable of supporting a toy figure 32 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.Building portions 11 and I2 have respective terraces 33 and 34 on upperlevels, and simulated steps 35 and 36 so that a figure 32 can movebetween terraces 33 and 34 along channel walkway 31 from one buildingportion to another in play simulation. Archway 15 also includes asimulated traf fic light 35 manually pivotal with a rotor 36 for playsimulation of traffic control. Also. many top figures, vehicles,furniture, and other objects are preferably associated with building I0for a wide variety of play possibilities and learning experiences.

Since slot 26 in archway 15 opens at a bottom beveled edge 24, archway15 can be readily slid down over hinges 25 or lifted up from hinges 25for disconnecting building portions 11 and 12. This allows buildingportions 1] and 12 to be used with archway l5 pivotally in place, orwith archway l5 removed, and archway 15 can also stand apart fromseparated building portions II and 12. The parts of building 10 arepreferably formed of resin material and secured together in interlockingfashion so that building 10 is rugged and durable. Portions II and I2 ofbuilding 10 are preferably divided into rooms or simulated buildings forvarious purposes and include various generally known equipment anddecorations for simulated play. The folding and unfolding of building onhinges 25 is relatively easy and reliable, and the cooperation ofarchway allows greater variation in building positioning than previouslypossible. Also, the resin walls of archway 15 adjacent slot 26 arepreferably resilient enough to spread slot 26 open slightly and poparchway 15 off hinges 25 if excessive force is applied, and thisprevents any damage to building 10 or archway 15 during rough pla Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that otherembodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances.Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing anddefining the invention, this should not inhibit broader or relatedembodiments going beyond the semantic orientation of this applicationbut falling within the spirit of the invention. For example, thoseskilled in the art will appreciate the many materials, configurations,and structures possible in adapting the invention to various foldingbuildings.

1 claim:

1. A foldable toy building comprising:

a. a pair of disconnectable building portions orientable from a folded,back-to-back disposition to an openedup disposition with said buildingportions set at any desired angle relative to each other;

b. a separate archway removably joinable to one end of each of saidbuilding portions for releasably connecting said building portions;

c. said archway spanning the distance between front corners of saidbuilding portions with said building portions in said back-to-backorientation;

d. a vertically oriented resin hinge arranged on each of said buildingportions at each of said front corners;

e. each of said hinges having a base portion interlocked with one ofsaid building portions in a fixed relation and a free end regionextending outward from said building portions and flexibly pivotalrelative to said base portion and said building portion;

f. each of said hinges having opposed vertical grooves inward from saidfree end regions of said hinges making said hinges relatively narrowerin the region of said opposed grooves and relatively wider in said freeend regions outward from said opposed grooves; and

g. each opposite end region of said archway having a vertical slot, eachof said slots having a closed upper end, an open lower end, and openinginto a recess in said archway, the sides of said slots being shaped tofit in said grooves on said hinges so said archway can be slid down oversaid hinges and slid back up from said hinges with said free end regionsof said hinges being received in said recesses of said archway and saidsides of said slots having a vertically slidable fit on said hinges, thepivotal portions of which allow free pivotal motion of said buildingportions relative to each other and relative to said archway with saidarchway in place on said hinges, said building portions and archwayincluding means by which each may stand apart from connection with theothers.

2. The toy building of claim 1 wherein said sides of said slots areresilient enough to allow said archway to pop off said free end regionsof said hinges if excessive force is applied.

3. The toy building of claim 1 wherein said base por tions of saidhinges are J-shaped in cross section and interlocked with vertical endsof walls of said building portions at said front corners.

4. The toy building of claim 1 wherein said archway includes a simulatedtraffic light.

5. The toy building of claim 1 wherein said archway has a channel-shapedtop edge providing a simulated walkway.

6. The toy building of claim 1 wherein said hinges allow said archway topivot through approximately relative to each of said front corners.

7. The toy building of claim 6, including latch means for securing saidbuilding portions together in said back-to-back disposition.

3. The toy building of claim 6 wherein said base portions of said hingesare J-shaped in cross section and interlocked with vertical ends ofwalls of said building portions at said front corners.

9. The toy building of claim 8 wherein said archway includes a simulatedtraffic light and a channel-shaped top edge providing a simulatedwalkway.

10. The toy building of claim 9, including latch means for securing saidbuilding portions together in said back-to-back disposition.

11. The toy building of claim 10 wherein said sides of said slots areresilient enough to allow said archway to pop off said free end regionsof said hinges if excessive force is applied.

1. A foldable toy building comprising: a. a pair of disconnectablebuilding portions orientable from a folded, back-to-back disposition toan openedup disposition with said building portions set at any desiredangle relative to each other; b. a separate archway removably joinableto one end of each of said building portions for releasably connectingsaid building portions; c. said archway spanning the distance betweenfront corners of said building portions with said building portions insaid back-to-back orientation; d. a vertically oriented resin hingearranged on each of said building portions at each of said frontcorners; e. each of said hinges having a base portion interlocked withone of said building portions in a fixed relation and a free end regionextending outward from said building portions and flexibly pivotalrelative to said base portion and said building portion; f. each of saidhinges having opposed vertical grooves inward from said free end regionsof said hinges making said hinges relatively narrower in the region ofsaid opposed grooves and relatively wider in said free end regionsoutward from said opposed grooves; and g. each opposite end region ofsaid archway having a vertical slot, each of said slots having a closedupper end, an open lower end, and opening into a recess in said archway,the sides of said slots being shaped to fit in said grooves on saidhinges so said archway can be slid down over said hinges and slid backup from said hinges with said free end regions of said hinges beingreceived in said recesses of said archway and said sides of said slotshaving a vertically slidable fit on said hinges, the pivotal portions ofwhich allow free pivotal motion of said building portions relative toeach other and relative to said archway with said archway in place onsaid hinges, said building portions and archway including means by whicheach may stand apart from connection with the others.
 2. The toybuilding of claim 1 wherein said sides of said slots are resilientenough to allow said archway to pop off said free end regions of saidhinges if excessive force is applied.
 3. The toy building of claim 1wherein said base portions of said hinges are J-shaped in cross sectionand interlocked with vertical ends of walls of said building portions atsaid front corners.
 4. The toy building of claim 1 wherein said archwayincludes a simulated traffic light.
 5. The toy building of claim 1wherein said archway has a channel-shaped top edge providing a simulatedwalkway.
 6. The toy building of claim 1 wherein said hinges allow saidarchway to pivot through approximately 180* relative to each of saidfront corners.
 7. The toy building of claim 6, including latch means forsecuring said building portions together in said back-to-backdisposition.
 8. The toy building of claim 6 wherein said base portionsof said hinges are J-shaped in cross section and interlocked withvertical ends of walls of said building portions at said front corners.9. The toy building of claim 8 wherein said archway includes a simulatedtraffic light and a channel-shaped top edge providing a simulatedwalkway.
 10. The toy building oF claim 9, including latch means forsecuring said building portions together in said back-to-backdisposition.
 11. The toy building of claim 10 wherein said sides of saidslots are resilient enough to allow said archway to pop off said freeend regions of said hinges if excessive force is applied.